Device for dosing fluid or pasty synthetic substance

ABSTRACT

A device for dosing fluid or pasty synthetic material, to be used in connection with a walled mixing chamber, the wall being provided with conduit means, and valve means disposed in the conduit means and including valve seat means in the chamber wall. Valve actuating means operate the valve means, and an impulse actuator actuates the valve actuating means and thereby the valve means in accordance with a predetermined time schedule.

United States Patent [72] inventors Ernst Dolenz Leobersdorf, LowerAustria; Johann Schoner, Gunselsdorf, Lower Austria; Johann Schwab,Vienna, all of,

[51] Int. Cl ..F16k 11/20, F16k 31/06,Fl6k 21/365 [50] Field of Search..137/624.18, 624.2, 604,605; 251/122, 121, 145, 146, 335.1

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,201,937 8/1965 McKee251/122X 3,347,267 10/1967 lnman 25l/146X Primary Examiner-Alan CohanAttorneyErnest F. Marmorek ABSTRACT: A device for closing fluid or pastysynthetic material, to be used in connection with a walled mixingchamber, the wall being provided with conduit means, and valve meansdisposed in the conduit means and including valve seat means in thechamber wall Valve actuating means operate the valve means, and animpulse actuator actuates the valve actuating means and thereby thevalve means in accordance with a predetermined time schedule.

PATENTEU JUN 8l97| 35835439 SHEET 1 BF 4 FIG] INVENTORS:

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TME 'Q ATTORNEY PATENTED Jun 8 197i SHEET 2 OF 4 INVENTORS: Ems/"20AM,

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PATENTED JUN 8l97! 35 3439 sum u UF 4 INVENTORS:

' ATTORNEY.

DEVICE FOR DOSING FLUID OR PASTY SYNTHETIC SUBSTANCE This application isa continuation of application Ser. No. 616,080, filed Feb. 14, I967 andnow abandoned.

The invention relates to devices for dosing fluid or pasty syntheticmaterial, and relates more particularly to such dosing devices forpolyol-isocyanate hardening mixtures, or

polyol-isocyanateadducts hardening mixtures, as they are used for makinghomogenous or porous polyurethane.

It is known to use such polyurethanes as prepolymers, for instance forthe making of outer soles for shoes; the mixture is first put into amixing chamber and then into a closed mold, is then gelled in the moldand finally is erected either with or without its addition of heat. Thefeeding of the mixture into the form usually is accomplished by means oflow pressure machines.

In connection with such machinery, a problem has arisen in connectionwith the exact keeping of the formula during the intermittently appliednecessary small dosages. During the manufacture of the mixture, it mustbe understood, the various mixture components must not only be fedsimultaneously, but must enter absolutely at the same time into themixing chamber, in order to achieve the desired finished product.Furthermore, it is also important to avoid conduits or bores between thevalves that regulate the feeding of the mixing components and the mixingchamber, in order to prevent the clogging of such conduits or bores bythe occurrence of dripping and hence of a premature reacting ofremainders of the mixture components.

It is accordingly among the principal objects of the invention toprovide a device for dosing fluid or pasty synthetic material thatavoids the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a device in whichthe regulation of the amount of material components fed into the mixingchamber is controlled by valves that have their seats directly in themixing chamber wall.

It is a further object of the invention to provide cone valves, forinstance truncated cone valves for the above device that terminate flushwith the internal wall surface of the mixing chamber.

It is still another object of the invention to provide valves for theaforesaid device, of the membrane type, which are actuated in accordancewith a predetermined time schedule, preferably either pneumatically,hydraulically or electrically, from a common impulse actuator, such asan electric relay.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth inpart in the following specification and in part will be obvioustherefrom without being specifically referred to, the same beingrealized and attained as pointed out in the claims hereof.

With the above and other objects of the invention in view, the inventionconsists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination ofvarious devices, elements and parts, as set forth in the claims hereof,certain embodiments of the same being illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings and described in the specification.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference should be had to the following detailed description, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing, in which FIG. I is a largescale fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the wall of a mixingchamber with a valve of the membrane type. FIG. 2 is a fragmentarysectional view similar to FIG. I, though on a smaller scale, showing twovalves of the membrane type in the wall of the mixing chamber.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are sectional views similar to FIG. I, but showing theshifting device as an electromagnetic solenoid and a fluid cylinder,respectively.

In carrying the invention into effect in the embodiments which have beenselected for illustration in the accompanying drawings and fordescription in this specification, there is provided a wall I of amixing chamber 13. The wall I has conduit means, such as a centralrecess shown vertically in the drawing, and a feed passage 12 for one ofthe fluid or pasty synthetic materials, and the passage 12intercommunicates with the recess. A valve of the membrane type isdisposed in the recess.

The valve includes a membrane 2 that is composed either of metal, rubberor a synthetic material such as tetrafluorethylene. The membrane 2 isclamped near its external portion between two copper rings 3, and theclamping is sufficiently tight to seal the recess so that any materialfed through the passage 12 cannot go above the membrane 2 in the recess.The copper rings 3 are held by means of .bolts 4 within a cylindricalprojection of a cover 5, which projection extends into the recess abovethe membrane 2. In FIG. 2, due to its small scale, the copper rings 3have not been shown.

Below the membrane 2, the valve comprises a valve stem that has atapered end portion or cone 6, that cooperates with a matching taperedvalve seat that is formed in the recess within the wall I. The valveseat terminates at an opening 11 into the mixing chamber, the opening 11forming a nozzle for the entry of the dosed material into the mixingchamber 13 when the valve is in the open position. The membrane 2 isspaced above said opening 11 fora distance that is greater than thedistance between the plane of intercommunication at which the passage 12intersects the recess and the opening 11. In the closed position, theend of the valve cone 6 is substantially flush with the opening 11 asshown in broken lines in FIG. I. In the closed position, the end of thevalve cone 6 terminates flush with the internal wall surface of themixing chamber 13 as shown in broken lines in FIG. 1.

Valve actuating means are provided that comprise a valve actuator, suchas a shifting device 9 that may for instance be an electromagneticsolenoid 14, or an oppositely actuatable fluid cylinder 15, such as ahydraulic cylinder, or an oppositely actuatable air cylinder fed byfluid from conduits l6, 17. The shifting device 9 carries a projection10 that is in threaded engagement with a metallic body 7. The metallicbody 7 includes a protrusion 8 that is in threaded engagement with theinterior of the valve stem, and projects through the membrane 2. By thisarrangement, the valve stem is secured in sealing relation to themembrane 2, and can vibrate with the membrane, yet the membrane sealseffectively the recess so that no material can escape upwardly in therecess beyond the membrane 2.

When the shifting device 9 is shifted upwardly (with respect to FIG. Iof the drawing), then the valve stem with its cone 6 is lifted ofi" thevalve seat, so that there will be cleared the path to the opening 11, sothat the fluid or pasty material may be fed from the passage 12 throughthe recess and through the opening into the mixing chamber.

When the shifting device 9 is moved in the opposite direction, namelydownwardly (with respect to FIG. I of the drawing), the opening 11 willbe closed by the valve stem, thereby precluding the entry of anymaterial from the recess into the mixing chamber. The movement of thevalve stem, owing to its connection to the clamped membrane 2, proceedsonly for a distance of a few tenths of I millimeter. As long as thevalve is in operation, the passage 12 needs not to be closed.

In FIG. I of the drawing, there has been shown but a single valve.Actually, the valve means may comprise a plurality of valves, each valvebeing of the type shown in FIG. 1, and each being provided with a valveactuating means such as a valve actuator or shifting device 9 as shownin FIG. 2. Control means may be provided, such as an impact actuator(not shown) in driving connection with the valve actuating means, namelyeither electric or hydraulic or fluid or mechanical driving connection,so as to actuate all the shifting devices of the individual valves inaccordance with a predetermined time schedule in timed relationship, forinstance in accordance with a preferred embodiment synchronously. Bysuch a synchronous arrangement, the mixture components will be fedsimultaneously and in exact predetermined amounts into the mixingchamber, as each valve is assigned to a specific mixing component namelyfluid or pasty synthetic material, a dosed amount of which is to bepropelled into the mixing chamber. The impact actuator may be anelectric relay.

As the instant invention dispenses with delivery channels or conduitsbetween the valves and the mixing chamber, there exists no possibilityfor reacting remainders of such components to clog such channels; andthereby there is promoted a continuous and uninterrupted undisturbedoperation of the machine.

All the valve openings, of the type of the opening 11, open up into themixing chamber 13. The mixing chamber 13 preferably is provided with anagitating device (not shown), and from the mixing chamber the prepolymermixture which, in the mixing chamber has been provided with the properlydosed admixtures, will proceed into a mold (not shown).

We wish it to be understood that we do not desire to be limited to theexact details of construction shown and described, for obviousmodifications will'occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new and desire tobe secured by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. ln a device for dosing fluid pr pasty synthetic material, for use inconnection with a walled mixing chamber structure, in combination, saidwall defining conduit means, valve means disposed in said conduit meansand including valve seat means in said wall, a valve actuating meansoperable for operating said valve means, and an impulse actuator indriving connection with said valve actuating means and operable toactuate said valve actuating means and thereby said valve means inaccordance with a predetermined time schedule, said conduit meansdefining a first conduit forming a passage for at least one material tobe dosed, and a second conduit intercommunicating with said firstconduit and defining a recess in said wall, said valve seat meansincluding at least one valve seat formed in said recess and beingadapted to form an opening into said chamber, said valve meanscomprising at least one membrane valve including a valve stemshiftablein opposite directions to and from said valve seat to closesaid valve seat substantially flush with the interior surface of saidwalled mixing chamber and respectively to open said valve, a membranedisposed in said recess and spaced from said opening for a distancegreater than the distance between the plane of intercommunicationbetween said first and second conduits and said opening, said valve stembeing secured in sealing relation to said membrane, clamping meansoperable for clamping said membrane in sealed relation in said recess,thereby sealing said recess, said valve actuating means including ashifting device connected to said valve stem and being operable to shiftthe stem and said membrane for sealed valve opening and closing, therebyto admit dosed amounts of said material into said chamber.

2. In a device, as claimed in claim 1, said valve means comprising aplurality of valves, said valve actuating means including a plurality ofvalve actuators each in driving connection with a valve, said impulseactuator being operable to operate all of said valve actuators and hencesaid valves in timed relationship.

3. In a device, as claimed in claim 2, said impulse actuator actuatingall of said valve actuators and hence all of said valves synchronously.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 1 583439 Dated June 8 1971 Inventor) Ernst Dolenz et a1 It is certified thaterror appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On the cover sheet [73] "OsterrachiSCh-" should read Osterreichisch-Signed and sealed this 7th day of March 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

"ROBERT GOTTSCHALK EDWARD M. FLETCHER,JR.

(lommissloner of Patents Attesting Officer FORM PO-1050 [10-69)uscoMM-Dc eoavo-peo fi' U,S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1969 D356-334

2. In a device, as claimed in claim 1, said valve means comprising aplurality of valves, said valve actuating means including a plurality ofvalve actuators each in driving connection with a valve, said impulseactuator being operable to operate all of said valve actuators and hencesaid valves in timed relationship.
 3. In a device, as claimed in claim2, said impulse actuator actuating all of said valve actuators and henceall of said valves synchronously.